dom of his providence, as the effects of his favour?

There is also humility in prayer: and this is another strong recommendation of it to him, of whom it is fo often James iv. written, that he refifteth the proud, and 1Pet. v. 5. giveth grace to the humble.

6.

Prov. iii.

34.

It may feem to require a very fmall degree of the grace of humility, tó acknowledge that God is ftronger than man: but it is the humility and contrition of the heart, that gives force to prayer; and this either in profperity or diftrefs.

The hardest task is to be humble in profperity when every thing fucceeds beyond your moft fanguine expectations, to afcribe nothing to yourselves, to your own conduct, fagacity, merit; to look

up

up to the fupreme Difpofer of events with an eye of gratitude, expreffive of the deepest fenfe, both of his goodness, your own unworthiness.

and

To thee, Lord, be all the praise and glory for every thing we poffefs. Thou, in truth, art the only poffeffor of all: and we have feverally fuch portions of what is thine intrusted to us, as thou in mercy and wifdom feeft meet. We are only what thou art pleased to make us, except fo far as we are wicked: and to thee is owing every event that befals us, but the juft punishment of our evil deeds, which we muft impute to ourselves. Us indeed thou fpareft; thou haft prepared Pf.xxiii.s. a table before us, anointed our head with oil, and our cup is full: yet remember we our offences together with thy goodness; how little we have deserved, while we receive so much. We defire to be thankful, obedient, humble; to love thee, who

haft

1 John iv. haft first loved us; and, as thou didft

19.

love us in deed, and not in word, to live to thee, and for the good of others; whom we would affift and comfort, as

thou haft made us able, and do to them as thou haft done to us. The higher

thy favour raises us, the more we bend; hearkening to the defires and wishes of the lowest of those, who are thy children, Prov.i. 32. Father, in common with ourselves. The profperity of fools fhall deftroy them. O let not our wealth produce intemperance, or avarice; our power, pride; our authority, infolence; fuccefs, fecurity, and forgetfulness of God. 'Tis not without awful apprehenfions, that we reflect even upon thy goodness. The stream of divine bounty by which we live, let us not be overwhelmed by it; and undone Pf.cxxx.4, by that mercy which is with thee, and for which thou art to be feared.

The fentiments and fupplications

fuitable to a state of distress are expressed in few words by him, who was the greatest example at the fame time both of suffering and fubmiffion. He who was John i. 1. in the beginning with God, and was God, being become man, and about to be betrayed, forsaken, blafphemed, and crucified, though he could have commanded all the Hofts of Heaven, utters but thefe words, Father, let this cup pass from Matt. me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou

wilt.

xxvi. 39.